May 29.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
131 
Half of the judges have turned out things, year after year, 
described as of “ good form,” or as “ good show flowers,” 
and they have proved very inferior. 
| Let us take another of the first class certificates given to 
: a Pelargonium —Mr. Hoyle’s Chieftain. This flower should 
| have been reported as a pretty variety in a large collection ; 
| call it crimson, or any other colour that means something 
i between purple and scarlet, but having the under petal 
I standing up away from the other four, and not a good 
| trusser. The fancy Pelargonium raised by Mr. Ayres, 
Formosissimum, was awarded a first class certificate, and 
this was on tolerably safe ground, because it was shewn as a 
seedling last year, and I had described it as one of the very 
best formed of all the family. The colour is not striking; 
but when a flower without any particular fault is a decided 
advance towards the ideal model laid down, it may, without 
much damage to the public, be classed among the best. 
, But to justify a first class certificate, a dower ought to be 
I better than anything we have got of its colour, or a new 
1 and desirable colour without any condemning fault. Now, 
j Magnet, Mr. Hoyle’s Pelargonium, though it could not be 
| fairly called a first class flower, is worth a dozen of his 
i Chieftain. The colour is desirable, it is a good trusser, and 
the dower has no fault great enough to put it out of half a 
dozen exhibiting plants. The Auricula, to which a drst class 
certidcate was given, was not nearly so good as some we 
already possess. It was called the Beauty of Bath. The 
plant was not subiciently matured to judge at all; it shewed 
several faults that would condemn a dower: the divisions 
reached into the paste, and the footstalks were so short, 
that if ever it bears seven pips, unless the footstalks come 
much longer, the pips must be crowded, and form a small 
round head, instead of displaying the whole in one face. 
But while it was exceedingly erroneous to give it a drst 
class certidcate, it would have been unjust to condemn it, 
because it may come better when matured. The judges 
might have said it was promising ; but it is an even chance 
that we may never see or hear of it again, because, if it 
does not come better next season, the grower will throw 
it away. 
Lady Hume Campbell has been mentioned in the papers 
as a new Cineraria, but it was noticed by me last year. 
It is a pretty blue-edged dower, very striking, but deeply 
notched; showy in a collection, and the colours well defined, 
but the notch is a great drawback. Mr. George Smith has 
shown two white Cinerarias, both an advance upon our 
present whites, and very different from each other. These 
are both above the average, and either of them would be an 
acquisition— Alba Magna and Queen of Beauties; but a 
special report as to their qualities would have been far 
better than drst class certidcates, simply because there are 
many whites. These flowers are better than the average for 
symmetry and closeness; they open very flat; the habit is 
pretty; one of the disks is lilac, the other dark; and one 
of the whites a diderent shade to the other. It is a question 
with me whether a self should have a drst class certidcate, 
since no better could be given for a white ground with a 
j black, or a blood-red, or a dark purple well-dedned ring 
| round it. Again, Mr. Ayres’ Orpheus is a purple self Cine¬ 
raria ; and I object to his drst class certidcate on the same 
i ground. Lady of the Lake Cineraria is a desirable dower, 
and quite as much deserving a drst class certidcate as some 
which had it. In fact, it comes to this : If I send metal to 
the Assay Ofdce, the report is that it contains so much gold, 
so much silver, and the rest is, of course, alloy; and if 
dowers are to be tested, the report must be a similarly true 
description of their good and bad points. Not two are of 
the same degree of merit; and, therefore, unless they are 
surpassing dne, they have no business to be placed among 
the highest class that can be named. G. G. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS CULTURE. 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses continue potting and 
placing in summer quarters, if not already done (see 
last week's directions). Keep a good look out for slugs, 
and destroy them. Should dry weather prevail, the red 
spider will very probably attack the leaves of the Poly¬ 
anthus. Its presence may soon he observed by the 
leaves becoming spotted and yellow. As soon as that 
is perceived no time must be lost in destroying this 
pest. Mix some flowers of sulphur in water, carefully 
lift up the leaves, and with a sponge dipped in the 
sulphur water wash every leaf. The action of washing 
will destroy the greater part, and the sulphur left on the 
leaves will prevent the rest from feeding upon them. 
It may be necessary, when they prevail much, to wash 
the upper side of the leaf as well as the under. Do not 
think this labour and attention unnecessary, or of no 
consequence. Too often the vain hope that wet weather 
will destroy this insect has ruined many a promising 
plant, for want of a timely application of preventive or 
destructive remedies being applied. 
Seedlings, if sown early, will now be in a fit state for 
transplanting. Fill a box, or some shallow wide pot, 
with a rich light soil made with light, fresh, turfy loam, 
and well-decomposed leaf-mould ; sift the uppermost 
inch through a finish sieve, press it gently down, and 
plant the seedlings in it in neat rows about two inches ! 
apart, and one inch from plant to plant. Water gently, 
and place them under a frame facing the east; shade 
from severe sunshine, and give air on all favourable 
occasions. 
Verbenas intended for exhibition the first week in 
July should now be showing their trusses; those in 
pots must immediately have their last shift. The best 
kind of trellis for this purpose is a flat one about a foot 
or eighteen inches across. It may be supported with 
common sticks made of deal, and thrust firmly into the 
pots; tie the trellis to them in either a sloping position 
or quite horizontal. Let it stand four or five inches 
above the pot. Train the plant to it, tying them with 
mat, and stopping the leading shoot, so as to have a 
sufficient number of branches to cover the trellis. Allow 
just a sufficient number of trusses of bloom to arise so 
as to allow them to stand at an equal distance from 
each other without crowding. The effect of this arrange¬ 
ment will be excellent. Water every third time with 
liquid manure, and keep them under a cold frame or 
pit, shading from hot sun when in bloom. 
T. Appleby. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
Routine Work. —Globe Artichokes, Asparagus, Sea- j 
lcale, and Rhubarb, should every one come in now 
for a good share of attention, keeping the earth round 
about them loose and open; thinning off the suckers 
and shoots of the artichokes and kale, and applying 
liquid-manure frequently at this season, which will 
be the means of providing a good foundation for the 
next season’s produce, whilst, at the same time, where 
mulch of any kind can be spared, each of the above 
crops may be mulched with considerable advantage. 
The season is also arrived for mulching the late 
strong-growing Peas, Scarlet Runners, Dwarf Deans, ’ 
Cauliflowers, &o. A liberal sowing of Coleworts should ; 
be made, and attention given to the pricking out and j 
watering of the main crop of Celery. One thing to be 
observed, with regard to pricking celery is, of course, 
that the earth should be both healthy and mellow, and 
the plants pricked lightly, with the seed-leaves, and 
collar of every plant kept up well above the surface of 
the soil. Sow late Peas, Beans, Spinach, Lettuce. Small j 
sowings of Radishes aud Small Salad should bo made 
in partially shady situations; keep the surface of the 
ground about every crop well open and surface-stirred. 
Mushroom-beds should, at this season, be made in caves 
or cellars, or the coldest situation that can be procured, 
free from draughts or currents of air — the latter are 
not at any season congenial to the Mushroom. Beds 
that have for some time been in bearing, should be 
assisted, when the surface becomes dry, by the applica- 
